Will Hoboken School Board Face Competition In November?

HOBOKEN, NJ — Do you want to be involved in making decisions about Hoboken's public schools? Now's your chance to run.

This year's election for three seats on the nine-member Board of Education will be held Nov. 8.

Elections are staggered, meaning that three three-year seats are up for election once a year.

If interested in running, you must submit your nominating petitions to the Hudson County clerk's office by this coming Monday, July 25, at 4 p.m. (See the rules below.)

This year, the terms of Sheillah Dallara, Alex De La Torre, and Joyce Simons are expiring. They have the option to run again.

To run, you must be a resident of Hoboken for at least a year, be registered to vote, and not have a contract with, or claim against, the district.

Last year, the three returning board members faced only one opponent in their race.

Heated Issues To Tackle

This year, the district held a $241 million referendum in January on a proposed plan to construct a new high school and make changes to the district's aging buildings. The referendum was defeated less than three months after the plan was announced, with voters questioning the cost and other aspects.

Now, the board and school administrators are tasked with coming up with a new plan.

One former City Council candidate, Paul Presinzano, said Monday that he hasn't decided whether to run for school board yet, but that there will be opposition to the current members this year.

Presinzano said one reason that the board needs new leadership is that board members have been "attacking citizens" for speaking out.

He pointed to this Tweet exchange with a board member this week, among other incidents.

Presinzano, who recently noted that he'll be a public school parent starting this fall, spoke at last week's school board meeting (read more here).

In a comment below, Patricia Waiters, who ran last year, said she's running again.

And What Else?

Aside from the referendum, the board members typically vote on budget items and personnel related to the district's six public schools and programs.

Last week, the board voted on several changes to vice principals and one principal. Read more here.

Board members are volunteers, paid only in the satisfaction of helping Hoboken kids, minus the dissatisfaction of being involved in Hoboken politics.

Still interested? Read the information specific to the Hoboken election here.

Get more information with the New Jersey School Boards Association Candidates Kit.

Read Hoboken Patch's story about the most recent school board meeting here.

The district is holding "community roundtables" both in person and virtually for community members to talk about the district. Find out more here.